This invention relates generally to a refrigeration system for a cooler and more particularly to a dual air circulation system for a cooler storage compartment.
There are many different types of coolers with refrigeration systems. One increasingly popular type of cooler is the pass-through merchandiser beverage cooler having front and rear glass access doors, and which is used primarily in supermarkets. The most common means of cooling the pass-through merchandiser is a simple circulation refrigeration system with air flow down one side wall and up the opposite side wall. Another means of cooling is by a transverse circulation with air flow down either the front or rear wall and up the opposing wall.
These two systems work quite well, but suffer from several disadvantages. One disadvantage, particularly with the latter system, which usually has both front and rear access doors, is that a considerable amount of condensation forms on the glass doors intended for viewing, with the result that a customer is then unable to view product without opening the cooler door. Another disadvantage is that since the pass-through merchandiser is primarily intended for beverages, the front and rear access doors are opened frequently and a substantial amount of cold air is lost. This loss causes beverages to be warmer than desired and it increases compressor run times. To keep beverages cold, the traditional cooler must operate at high compressor run times which decreases longevity of the merchandiser. Prior art pass-through merchandisers also have a problem with pull-down time of refrigerated products which is a particular disadvantage for a quick moving product such as canned and bottled beverages.
This invention solves these and other problems in a manner not revealed in the known prior art.